Patent · US Expired

Method for monitoring the performance of a catalytic converter using a rate modifier

US6116021A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
15References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 22, 1998
Grant dateSep 12, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 22, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/40
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for monitoring the performance of a catalytic converter (34) computes the oxygen storage capacity and desorption capacity of a catalyst within the catalytic converter (34). An engine control unit (10) receives mass flow rate information of air from a mass air flow rate sensor (12) and an injector driver (24), and receives electrical signals from an upstream exhaust gas sensor (28) and a downstream exhaust gas sensor (30). A rate modifier is determined from excess air ratios and an adaptation parameter. The engine control unit (10) calculates normalized air fuel ratios for the exhaust gas entering and leaving the catalytic converter (34) and performs numerical integration using the rate modifier to determine the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst in the catalytic converter (34). The calculated oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst can be compared with threshold values to determine the performance of the catalytic converter (34).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.